1. The Atmosphere

2. Atmosphere Made up of mostly nitrogen and oxygen
Protects us from the Sun
“atmo” means air/vapor
Also contains dust, volcanic ash, sea salt, dirt, smoke, and other pollutants

3. Air Pressure Force of all the air pushing down
Decreases with altitude (height)

4. Temperature Composition of the atmosphere effects temperature
Temperatures drop, raise, drop, and raise again the higher up you go (each layer acts differently)

5. Troposphere most dense and most pressure Closest to Earth’s surface
Is where the weather happens
Has clouds, water vapor, pollution
Gases mix due to varying temp’s
“tropo” means turn/change

6. Stratosphere Gases here are layered and do not mix
Air is thin with little moisture
Ozone layer is here - absorbs the ultraviolet radiation from the sun (making life on earth possible)
“strato” means layered

7. Mesosphere
“Meso” means middle
Coldest layer

8. Thermosphere Uppermost layer High temp’s but feels cold
Mostly made of O+, N+, and He+ ions

9. Conduction the transfer of heat through direct contact
occurs when hot air molecules contacts Earth’s surface
Example: touching hot item

10. Convection transfer of heat in currents of a liquid or a gas
hot liquids and gases move up, cool move down
Examples: heat rising off hot street, boiling water

11. Radiation transfer of heat through invisible waves
Comes from the Sun or something hot
Responsible for the weather cycle
Example: face is warmed with sunlight on it

12. 1 2 3

13. Greenhouse Effect
The warming of Earth because the atmosphere holds heat like a blanket; (carbon dioxide and water vapor hold heat)

14. Global Warming
increase in global temperature due to an increase in greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide)